


The Fate of Nations in Our Hands

by sapphic_ambitions



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Ambassador Sokka, Fire Lord Zuko, Five Years Later, Fluff, Idiots in Love, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Minor Hurt/Comfort Moments, Mutual Pining, Slow Burn, eventual established relationship, rwrb inspired
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-11
Updated: 2020-06-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:13:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24665938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sapphic_ambitions/pseuds/sapphic_ambitions
Summary: Sokka and Zuko's journey with touch over the course of Sokka's first year as the Ambassador.
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 314
Kudos: 2805





	The Fate of Nations in Our Hands

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing with the intention of doing a cute little one shot and ended up writing 18k words. Oops. Also you’ll notice a lack of modern words like “dating” and “boyfriend” and “coming out” because we’re going for a more historical / political / romance period piece vibe here. Hope y'all enjoy it. xoxo

It started with a handshake.

At the entrance to the Fire Nation Palace, with the sun rising over the edge of the volcano, the day fresh and new, Fire Lord Zuko was holding out his hand.

And Sokka took it. 

“Sokka!” Zuko clasped his hand tightly. “It’s good to see you again, old friend,” 

He grinned back. “Right back at you, buddy!” He said, giving a firm shake before putting his hands on his hips. “I like what you’ve done with the place,” He gestured to the Water Tribe banners that had been hung up alongside the red and gold banners, welcoming him to the Fire Nation Capital. Zuko looked rather pleased with himself as he followed Sokka’s gaze.

“I hoped you would like them,” Zuko said, his voice betraying even more how pleased he was. Sokka had noticed that over the years, the firebender welcomed any opportunity to fly another nation’s flags alongside his own. He’d never really understood why, but he guessed that his friend liked, well... he liked that he had friends. He liked that their nations were at peace enough to fly their banners side by side. “Besides,” Zuko turned back to him. “We had to mark the special occasion of our new ambassador’s arrival,”

“You’re damn right,” Sokka laughed. “I’m gonna ambassador the shit out of this place,”

Another voice popped up from behind where Zuko stood. “Such foul language from such a prestigious member of the court,” An old man with a twinkle in his eyes stepped forward into the light. “You’ll fit in just fine around here,”

“Iroh!” Sokka let the old man bring him into a big bear hug. “What are you doing here?”

“Visiting my nephew and making sure he doesn’t get into trouble,” Iroh laughed, and the sound was so infectious that the two men couldn’t help but laugh with him. 

“I’m the Fire Lord, Uncle,” Zuko said, trying to scold, but his voice was filled with affection for the old man. “You don’t have to check on me,”

With a wide grin, Iroh placed a kind and loving hand on Zuko’s shoulder. “I will always have to check on you, nephew,” 

Every time Sokka was in the presence of the two men, he found himself noting how different and yet similar the two of them were. Where Iroh was loud and humorous, relating easily to others, Zuko was a more quiet, reserved soul, with soft smiles and his hands to himself. Gone were the days of his short, fierce temper (well, mostly) and instead he had become a calm and respected leader. But despite the different ways they might walk through the world, the two firebenders had the same heart, filled with devotion and respect for those they loved. Iroh had done a good job raising the Fire Lord. 

“Come on, Sokka,” Zuko tilted his head towards the palace, once again blushing under the praise of his uncle. “Let’s discuss your role as ambassador,”

As the two of them walked through the palace, Sokka couldn’t help but admire how good his friend looked these days. It’d been five years since he’d been crowned the Fire Lord, and he finally looked like he’d grown into the role. Literally. He’d shot up like a rocket, but then, so had Sokka. His hair was longer too, brushing down to the middle of his back in inky cascades with his Fire Lord headpiece gleaming in his top knot. He no longer looked like a little kid in formal robes, he looked like the leader of a nation. Not even just in his physical appearance, but the way he carried himself. His head high and his shoulders back, basking in the sunlight like it shined just for him.

The two of them hadn’t seen each other for a while, a little over a year. They’d both been busy in their respective homes, dealing with one issue or the other, and hadn’t made the effort to travel and meet. As members of the original Avatar gang, that was something they tried to do often. Obviously, Sokka saw the Avatar more often than _anyone_ because the most powerful bender in the universe was courting his little sister, but he still made the effort to see Toph and Zuko whenever he could. Truthfully, Sokka was grateful for the new position. It wasn’t just a change of scenery from the freezing landscape of the Southern Water Tribe, but time to spend with his friend. Even if they were going to spend most of their time working.

“As the Fire Nation’s been rebuilding our relationships with other kingdoms,” Zuko was saying, and Sokka forced himself to actually tune into what was happening around him. “We’ve tried to mostly focus our energies on places we’ve hurt the most. Helping to rebuild cities and economies that were previously crushed by my father’s rule,” Zuko’s voice soured over the word _father_ , and Sokka couldn’t blame him. “We’ve spent the last four years assisting the Earth Kingdom, particularly the small towns that the Fire Nation Army occupied. We’re obviously nowhere near done, but it’s settled enough now that I wanted to extend our resources elsewhere,”

“The Southern Water Tribe and the Southern Reconstruction Project,” Sokka said, and Zuko nodded.

“I apologize for not getting to it sooner,” Zuko said, leading them through a set of doors. Sokka hadn’t really been paying attention to where they were going. The palace was large and he had already accepted that he was going to get lost often. But this room was clearly Zuko’s study. Large windows overlooked the gardens, shelves lined the room, and a desk covered in paperwork and candles greeted them as they walked in. It even had a fireplace and lounging chairs around it. He wondered if these people liked fire or something. “But it sounds like you’ve been busy on your own,” Zuko said, gesturing to Sokka.

Sokka crossed his arms, knowing that his pride was shining through. He liked this, getting to talk shop between the two of them, the tone serious and professional. He liked getting to feel like they were truly leaders of their nations, and not little kids playing at the idea. “As I said in my letters, we’ve been working with the Northern Water Tribe. They’ve been extremely helpful with their resources, but it’s been difficult because they’re so far away and it takes so long to communicate back and forth. And truth be told, they’re a little bit less willing to cooperate as we’d like them to be,”

Zuko pursed his lips and leaned against his desk, facing Sokka. “Well, I’m sure between the two of us, we’ll be able to figure out the best way to get the Southern Reconstruction Project off the ground and assist your home,”

A small smile played across Sokka’s lips as he turned and looked out the window. “I know we will. And honestly, I’d rather work with you than with Chief Fuck Face,” And just like that, the formal tone between them was broken.

“Chief Hahn?” Zuko raised an eyebrow and chuckled, his shoulders relaxing.

Sokka nodded, rolled his eyes, and grumbled. “I hated him when I was sixteen and he was engaged to Yue and I hate him now. And the feeling’s mutual,”

Zuko smiled, a soft and bemused smile that generally went alongside watching Sokka get agitated about something petty. “Well, forget him. You’re here now,”

“Hear, hear,”

“Speaking of engagements,” Zuko said, and Sokka’s stomach dropped. He might have forgotten to mention one _small_ detail in his letters to the Fire Lord. “How is Suki?”

“Funny story,” Sokka cleared his throat. “Suki and I are no longer engaged,” He said, not meeting Zuko’s eyes. “We broke it off about three months ago, and she went back to the Earth Kingdom,”

Zuko’s mouth dropped. “And you didn’t fucking _tell me?!”_

“It wasn’t a big deal-”

“Bullshit, Sokka,” Zuko’s eyes narrowed. “What happened?”

Sokka rubbed the back of his neck. He’d hoped to last a little bit longer than an _hour_ before he had to get into this. If it were something he _wanted_ to talk about, he would have told Zuko when it happened months ago. “We just fell out of love, man. We were fighting all the time. We weren’t happy anymore. I didn’t want to talk about it because it was kind of embarrassing. Neither of us did anything wrong, we just realized we weren’t right for each other,”

Zuko’s frown was almost comical. “Does everyone else know but me?”

Wincing, Sokka nodded.

“You bastard,” Zuko groaned, but it was more annoyance than anything. “I can’t believe you broke off your betrothal and didn’t _fucking_ tell me!”

Sokka took a step back with a pout so dramatic that Katara would have tugged on his lower lip to piss him off if she were there. Okay, so maybe they still were young and stupid. “It’s not exactly the kind of thing you put in a letter!” Sokka protested.

Zuko glared at him. “I wrote you when Mai and I broke it off two years ago,”

“That was different!”

“No, it wasn’t, and you know it,”

Sokka had no retort to that, so he stuck his tongue out at Zuko, who sighed and ran a hand over his face. “I can’t believe we have the fate of nations in our hands,”

“You and me both, buddy,”

The more time Sokka spent at the palace, the more he came to realize something.

Zuko was not big on casual touch.

Sokka was naturally a touchy person. Always had been. He was prone to throwing his arm around people’s shoulders and placing hands on knees to comfort downtrodden friends and long hugs that Katara protested against loudly but then held him back just as tight. But things were different with Zuko, and Sokka had kind of always known that, but he thought it had more to do with the fact that he was from the cold hearted Fire Nation. It was like Zuko had a permanent wall up. He never initiated hugs, he never sought out those casual and platonic touches that Sokka was so fond of, he always stayed within his own personal bubble. And honestly, despite knowing that the firebender was resistant to physical touch when they were younger, he might have been a bit more flippant and disrespectful about it, disregarding it and shoving him around a bit. But maturity had given him perspective. 

Zuko was a great firebender, swordsman, and leader. He had fought in a war and could take care of himself. But he was also the victim of his own father's rage at a young age. If his guard was down, he tended to get startled easily by movements and close calls with physical touch. He’d gotten good at covering it over the years, _really_ good, but Sokka still saw it. Especially after two months in the palace, dealing with him almost daily. Sometimes, if someone approached him from his bad side, Sokka could see the flicker of panic in his eyes for _just_ a moment before he recovered. One time, Sokka was having a meeting with him about energy and fuel while the Fire Lord was getting his hair cut (they were pressed for time and it was important), and he saw the way his friend’s jaw clenched as the hair dresser’s hands got close to his scar. Sokka may be an idiot in a lot of ways, but he was also perceptive.

It was different with Iroh, but through watching the two of them over the course of Iroh’s stay, Sokka could tell that the old man just knew _how_ to interact with Zuko in a way that made him feel comfortable and safe. He always used a gentle hand in any contact. No sudden movements if he could help it. Always stayed within the line of sight of Zuko’s good eye. Never sought to take Zuko off guard. Always gave Zuko the space to reject the contact if he didn’t want it. And it wasn’t that Iroh was tip toeing around his nephew, or treating him like glass. No, he was just being conscious and respectful of Zuko’s needs and boundaries. 

And Sokka started to pick up on it. 

He saw how _easy_ the two men were with each other, and missing his sister terribly, he craved that kind of connection again. Not only that, but Zuko was a dear friend (Sokka would deny up and down ever having used the word _dear_ to describe the Fire Lord) and he wanted Zuko to feel comfortable around him. What kind of a friend would he be if he _didn’t_ want that? So he’d learn to be respectful of his friend’s boundaries. 

He found that if he always announced his presence while approaching the Fire Lord from behind, he was met with a smile and relaxed shoulders instead of sneaking up and receiving a scowl. If he had to get Zuko’s attention, he only used touch as a last resort after calling his name over and over, and the touch _had_ to be soft. He tried to mimic the way he’d seen Iroh get Zuko’s attention, with only a gentle hand on his arm. He used to, especially when they were teenagers, tug on Zuko’s shoulders and poke him in the back and other obnoxious ways of getting his attention. It had almost always been met with a glare from the other boy, perhaps a shove back. But with the new approach, Zuko seemed to ease into a new layer of comfort and trust with his Ambassador.

After Iroh went back to Ba Sing Se and his tea shop, Sokka noticed that the Fire Lord made an effort to spend more time with him. He guessed that Zuko was seeking comfort from another close friend now that he didn’t have his uncle to lean on, but that was more than fine with him. To be honest, the palace was a little lonely. He knew Zuko, sure, but no one else. And he could tell that not everyone shared their leader’s admiration and respect of other nations. It was written across their faces and spelled out under their breath when he walked by. So if Zuko kept him close by, that was more than fine with him. 

Sokka was _not_ a morning person, but he began having tea with Zuko at sunrise. The first one was arranged because the two had to discuss an important trade agreement proposal before a day full of meetings _about_ the proposed trade agreement, and it was the only free time either of them had. All the ones after that were just because he’d actually _enjoyed_ getting to spend the peaceful mornings with his friend. He did indeed find that he was more relaxed throughout the day if he started it off with a calming cup of tea and laughter shared with Zuko. 

There was one morning that they were talking about something stupid, he couldn’t even remember what it was, but he made some shitty joke and it got an honest _laugh_ out of Zuko. He’d always thought that Zuko didn’t have it in him, that he was quiet chuckles where his uncle was loud, boisterous laughs. But Zuko threw his head back and laughed like he’d just invented the sound. And _most_ surprising, Zuko had reached out and clasped Sokka on the shoulder as he laughed. It was unexpected, but not unwelcome. Actually, it sent a spark from the tips of Zuko’s fingers straight down his spine. Not a literal spark of lightning from the firebender’s hand, but the spark of being touched for the first time in three months by another person. (Like he said, he’d been lonely.) Add that to the first real, _genuine_ laughter he’d ever seen out of his friend, well, Sokka was quite pleased with himself. 

A few weeks later, they were hosting a dinner for the Earth Kingdom’s many Ambassadors and delegates. Aang and Katara couldn’t make it, but that was fine. There would be other dinners for them to attend, and it gave Zuko a chance to shine. Sokka stuck close to his friend’s side all night, and had even been placed at his right hand at the table, which again was unexpected, but not unwelcome. After dinner, when they were mingling, Zuko took it upon himself to introduce Sokka to as many people as possible. Which, he appreciated because once again, Sokka didn’t know _anyone_. He might have been a close friend of the Avatar and a leader of the Southern Water Tribe, but he hadn’t spent a lot of time with officials and representatives of other Nations. That was where Zuko came in.

“Oh, Sokka, you _have_ to meet Ambassador Lei,” Zuko said, nodding towards an older woman wearing green robes in the crowd. “She’s from Omashu and basically an older Toph, come on,” Before Sokka could even blink, Zuko had placed his hand on the back of Sokka’s arm and was leading him through the crowd. And well, Sokka let himself be led. Zuko’s hold was somehow both firm and gentle and Sokka felt like every nerve in his body was attuned to that one point of contact. He was so distracted from it that he had to blink himself back into reality before he could interact with the ambassador. 

He thought about it for days afterwards.

Four months in, the two were sitting at a table in the palace’s library, a spread of scrolls and parchment surrounding them, working in mostly silence. It wasn’t related to the Southern Reconstruction Project, but Zuko had started turning to Sokka for advice on other matters, and it wasn’t like he had much else to do, so he obliged. He liked feeling useful. Currently, they were doing research on _aqueducts_ of all things, but Zuko had a meeting the next day about them and he knew absolutely nothing. Not really from lack of trying, but more because he thought they were stupid. Sokka knew this because he complained about it every five minutes.

“This is so stupid,” Zuko groaned.

Sokka grinned. “Really? You hadn’t mentioned it before,”

“Don’t mock me,” Zuko cut his eyes to glare at his blue clad friend. 

Sokka kicked his feet up on the table and clasped his hands behind his head. “Mock you? I would _never_ , Your Fire Lordness,”

Zuko rolled his eyes. “We’ve been here for _hours_ and you’ve been more a nuisance than you’ve been help,”

“Untrue, sir,” Sokka pointed at him. “I’ve been excellent moral support,”

“Making water puns doesn’t count as moral support,”

“Sure it does,” Sokka smirked. “What did one ocean say to the other?”

“Sokka, _no_ -”

“What did one ocean say to the other?”

“I refuse to engage with you on this,”

“What did one ocean say to the other?”

“You’re absolutely impossible,”

“ _What did one ocean say to the other_?”

The Fire Lord sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “What?”

“Nothing, it just waved,”

Zuko groaned loudly and thunked his head down on the table. “That was terrible, even for you,” He said, but Sokka had totally seen him smile under the curtain of his dark hair. When it was just the two of them, especially on one of their late night study sessions, Zuko kept his hair down. His hair ribbons and Fire Lord headpiece always sat on the table in front of him. It made him look more relaxed, more like an average twenty-one year old and not like someone who had the weight of the world on his shoulders. Sokka preferred it, to be honest.

“Oh, come on, you love my jokes,” Sokka teased, dropping his feet off the table.

“It’s the only reason I keep you around,” Zuko snorted, but it sounded slightly muffled as his head was still pressed to the wooden table. Sokka laughed again.

“Come on, Zuko, aqueducts aren’t _that_ bad,” He said.

“Oh, so now you’re Mister Morale Support,”

Sokka couldn’t help his smile. “I gotta earn my keep,” He teased. Zuko laughed, but made no movement to get up. “Zuko, I know you don’t wanna, but you gotta,”

“Easy for you to say,” The firebender grumbled. “This is stupid and then I’m gonna look stupid at this meeting and everyone will think the Fire Nation is run by an idiot and everyone will know that I have no idea what I’m doing and the world will go up in flames again and I’ll have failed _everyone_ ,”

Hmm. Sharing feelings. That was new. Not that they hadn’t like, _talked_ in the last few months. They practically did nothing but talk. But this blatant admission of what he was feeling, making himself vulnerable to Sokka by admitting his fears, that was new. And over _aqueducts._

Very timidly, very gently, almost unsurely, Sokka placed a hand on Zuko’s shoulder. When his friend didn’t startle, he let out a tiny sigh of relief. “Hey, no one’s gonna think you’re an idiot,” He said, his voice firm.

“Yes, they are,” Zuko protested.

“No, they’re not, Zuko. You’ve been an excellent Fire Lord for the last five years, better than any Fire Lord in the last _hundred_ years. They’re not going to think any less of you because you don’t understand something stupid like aqueducts-”

“So you admit that they’re stupid?”

“Shut up, I’m monologuing. They’re not gonna think less of you for it. If anything, the sign of a good leader is admitting when they don’t know something and asking for guidance. And it’s not like you haven’t been _trying_ to learn. We’ve literally been sitting at this damn table since dinner, going through scrolls. So you’ll go to this meeting tomorrow with whatever knowledge you have and you’ll _listen_ to those who know more than you. You’ll suffer through an hour long meeting and then it’ll be over and you won’t have to think about it again until next year. So get up off your ass and let’s try to finish this before the candles run out of wax,” 

He hadn’t really realized it until he was done speaking, but he’d been rubbing circles on Zuko’s back the entire time he spoke. The realization of it washed over him like a wave of ice but... Zuko didn’t seem to mind. And when he finally pulled his head off the table and sat up in his chair, Sokka kept his hand planted on Zuko’s back, and still the other man said nothing. Instead, he just looked into Sokka’s eyes with his own molten golden ones, messy locks falling all over the place and the most _genuine_ look on his face that Sokka.... well...

Sokka felt like he was on _fire._

“You really think so?” Zuko’s voice was soft, like the flicker of a candle.

Sokka’s palms felt sweaty. His pulse felt heavy in his throat. 

He swallowed. “Yeah, I do,” He said, sliding his hand to Zuko’s shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze. “You’re the best person I know, Zuko,”

Timidly, gently, almost unsurely, Zuko reached up and squeezed Sokka’s hand.

That was very, very new.

After that night, it was like the flood gates had opened between them. (Okay, maybe the water puns were getting to be a bit much.) Little touches were exchanged between them throughout the day, and each one felt more electric than the last. Their fingers brushed while Zuko handed him his cup of tea in the morning. Sokka gently touched Zuko’s wrist as he said his name when he needed to draw his attention to something. Zuko touched his shoulder when he was making a point. Sokka placed his hand on Zuko’s knee to comfort him when he was pissed about something. When they sat next to each other in the library, or by the turtleduck pond, their thighs, arms and shoulders brushed and bumped against each other. It came effortlessly. It was second nature. It felt like something had unlocked in Sokka’s chest.

Was this just what it meant to gain Zuko’s trust? Was this just how Fire Nation people interacted with their friends? Was Zuko’s heart beating like the drums of war every time his hand brushed up against Sokka’s skin? Did Zuko’s mouth get dry when they exchanged glances from across the room? Did Zuko feel like all of the breath in his body left him when their knees brushed under the table? Because all of those things were happening to Sokka. He felt like he was an ocean wave on the brink of crashing to the shore. He felt like a match that was about to be struck. He felt like... fuck, he didn’t know what he felt like.

Five months into his stay at the Fire Nation Capital, Aang and Katara came to visit. 

Well, Aang and Zuko had a meeting with the Earth Kingdom Ambassador, and Katara got to come along, so not really a vacation type visit. And right now, their two visitors were running late. That’s what happens when they don’t have Sokka to make their schedules and keep them to it.

Sokka stood by his companion’s side as they watched the sky bison fly in, their shoulders brushing and heads high. He still had _no idea_ what was happening between the two of them, but he wasn’t really complaining at this point. He knew that he wanted to sort it out internally before he tried to approach the subject with Zuko. _If_ he would approach the subject with Zuko at all. Besides, his sister would be here soon, and he was actually looking forward to confiding in her about... _whatever_ was happening. 

“Five silver pieces that Aang can’t last ten minutes without doing the marbles trick,” Sokka said, nudging Zuko’s shoulder with his own. Zuko’s grin was mischievous.

“You’re on,”

The moment Appa hit the ground, Katara was running towards Sokka with her arms open wide and a huge smile plastered across her face. She nearly knocked him over with her hug, and he swung her around in circles. For as much as the two of them argued, distance made the heart grow fonder. It had been _six months_ since he’d last seen his little sister. She’d left the South Pole to travel with Aang before he’d left to go to the Fire Nation, and he’d missed her like crazy. When he pulled away, he took in the sight of her. “Have you gotten _taller?”_ He asked. Her chin lifted with pride. He couldn’t believe she was almost twenty. She looked like a grown woman, not the obnoxious little girl who used to annoyed the shit out of him all the time. 

“No, I think you’re just getting shorter,” She retorted, crossing her arms in her typical Katara fashion. Well, she could still annoy him. Sokka responded in his typical way by wrapping his arm around the back of her neck and pulling her in to give her a noogie, to which she laughed loudly and swatted at him.

Yeah, it was good to have his sister back again. 

When they pulled apart, he could see that Aang was showing Zuko his marbles trick again, and he shot a bemused and triumphant look at the Fire Lord. Zuko rolled his eyes at him, but he looked equally amused and pleased at the arrival of their friends. The two Water Tribe siblings walked over to join them, Katara fitting neatly into Aang’s side now that he’d gotten taller than all of them, and Sokka taking his place at Zuko’s side. Over the last several months and over the numerous meetings and dinners and delegations they’d gone to together, that had been his rightful place, to stand at the Fire Lord’s right hand. Which was a weird thing for Sokka to say, after everything the Fire Nation had put his family through, but it had become true. He wondered if he should feel weird about it, immediately assuming his place at Zuko’s side when they were just among themselves, but...

It just felt like where he should be. 

“How was your journey here?” Zuko asked. He was just being polite, Sokka knew. He could see his companion tapping his thumb against his clasped hands, a sure sign he was getting anxious about the time. Sokka did the same thing. Zuko must have picked it up from him. The thought made him feel warm in the belly. 

“Smooth sailing,” Aang said, throwing his arm around Katara’s shoulders. They were so easy together that it almost made Sokka ache, but he was just grateful that Katara had found someone who loved her so much. “Didn’t hit a single storm cloud,”

“Good, I’m glad,” Zuko nodded, and then looked over his shoulder at the palace. “And I hate to rush you off the landing strip, but we _do_ have that meeting, Aang,”

Aang’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. “Oh! Yes! We can head there now,” He gave Katara a quick kiss on the cheek and then shouted “Race you there!” before air scootering away into the palace, nearly knocking over a couple of maids in the process.

“I hope he never changes,” Sokka laughed, rubbing Zuko’s shoulder as they watched their friend go. He turned his gaze back to the firebender when the Avatar was out of sight, no doubt wrecking havoc somewhere else. “I’ll show Katara around the palace while you guys are in your meeting with the Earth Kingdom delegation,”

Zuko nodded, the corners of his mouth turned upwards and his eyes warm. “I’ll see you at dinner?” He asked, gently touching Sokka’s arm. Sokka nodded back, looking into those golden eyes until they tore away from his. He watched the sunlight dance across Zuko’s long hair and his Fire Lord headpiece until it disappeared into the shadows of the palace.

“So, what the fuck was that?”

 _Shit_ , he’d momentarily forgotten that Katara was there.

He spun back around to her. “What would Gran Gran think of that kind of language?”

Katara put her hands on her hips. “Do you really want to talk about what Gran Gran would approve of right now?”

Hmm. She got him there.

As Sokka showed Katara around the palace (the library, the turtle duck pond, the training area, Zuko’s study, and so on) he filled her in on his stay. First with all the work he’s done as the Southern Water Tribe Ambassador, then as Zukko’s confidant, and all of the highlights from the Earth Kingdom Dinner and other various meetings. When they arrived at Sokka’s chambers, he shut the door behind them and filled her in on the rest of it: the Zuko of it all. The softer approach Sokka had taken to interacting with him, the first soft touches that were unexpected but not unwelcome, that night inside the library that felt like something had cracked open within him, and the last month of closeness that he couldn’t put a name to. When he was done, he twisted his hands nervously. Saying it all out loud made him feel like he was crazy, and he wasn’t entirely sure how Katara would react. 

But if he couldn’t talk to _her_ about it, he couldn’t talk to anyone. 

Katara’s face was... neutral.

Well, not neutral. She was doing that thing where she was _purposefully_ making her face neutral so she could handle a difficult situation or when she was mulling something over in her head. She’d picked it up from Aang. It just made him nervous.

“Say something, please,” Sokka said, sitting on the edge of his bed.

Katara put her hands on her hips. Then she crossed her arms. Then she put her hands on her hips again. “Sokka,” She said, matter of factly. “I just want you to know that you are my brother, and I love you and accept you as you are, no matter who you’re with, always,”

Sokka groaned and put his head in his hands.

“I- I don’t understand,” Katara sounded unsure. “Isn’t that what you wanted to hear?”

“This just means that there _is_ something there and I’m not crazy,” Sokka mumbled from behind his hands. Katara laughed, and sat next to him on the bed. “I thought that maybe if I was making it all up in my head, and I could push it aside,” He sighed, dropping his hands.

Katara leaned back on the bed. “Would you have wanted that?”

“No. Yes. I don’t know. I think no? This is kind of uncharted territory for me,”

“That’s fair,” Katara said. “But honestly, Sokka... it sounds like you have feelings for him,”

Sokka groaned again, and flopped back on the bed. Apparently in a show of solidarity, Katara flopped back with him. “I don’t know what to do,” Sokka admitted. “This isn’t like in the past, when I had feelings for girls. It feels different in _every_ way. It was easy with Suki and Yue, I mean, at least easier than this. Suki just _kissed me_ and I got the point and that was that. Yue, I could just openly flirt with her. But _this_ is with another _guy_ and-”

“And also the Fire Lord,” Katara finished.

Sokka dramatically draped his arm across his forehead. “And I don’t even know if he feels the same way. There’s a _lot_ to lose if he doesn’t,”

Katara sighed, and tucked her hands behind her head. “Well, I think you’ve just gotta ride this out for a little while. Because you’re right, if this goes wrong, it could fuck over our whole nation, since you’re our ambassador here-”

“Gee, thanks, Katara,”

“But either way,” She rolled her eyes. “You have to follow your heart, Sokka,”

“What if I don’t know what my heart wants?” He mumbled, looking away.

Katara sat up on her elbow, looking down at him with a more familiar, fiery look that she donned well. Sometimes he wondered if she should have been born a firebender. “Sokka, you are the most obnoxiously confident person I know,” she said. “I have never known you to _not_ know yourself,”

“That doesn't make any sense,”

“It _means_ , don’t be a dumbass about this,” Katara said, poking him. “I think you already know what you want,” 

He grumbled in response. He wasn’t sure he was ready to face the consequences of _wanting_ within the walls of the palace. 

Katara must have read that look on his face, because she sighed, sat up, and then tugged his arm. “Come on, show me more of the palace,” 

Later, Zuko and Aang were waiting for them at dinner, already sitting and conversing. When Zuko looked up and saw his companion, his face lit up into a smile that was so warm it made Sokka feel something melted in his chest. And at Zuko’s right hand, a place was already set, waiting for Sokka.

Aang and Katara stayed for three more days, and it felt like the old times. They all went swimming on the beach, Zuko and Aang practiced their fire bending in the training area, they even went on an Appa joyride at midnight. Sokka felt like a kid again, except this time, they could get drunk on the palace’s sake together. The last night of their visit, they all gathered in Zuko’s chambers --which were huge-- and sprawled out on the couches by the fireplace, bottles everywhere.

And they were _wasted_.

It had started off with the four of them swapping stories of the last few months, Katara definitely told some stories that their father wouldn’t approve of, but as the night had dwindled down they all were in their own little world. Katara was sitting in Aang’s lap, her arms wrapped around his neck and his arms holding her in place. They were whispering to each other and giggling a lot, so Sokka was purposefully ignoring them. Instead, he sat on the opposite couch under Zuko’s arm.

Well, not really _under_ Zuko’s arm. Zuko’s arm just happened to be draped along the back of the red and gold furniture they were sitting on. Sokka just happened to be sitting in the space next to Zuko, and could just barely feel the brush of Zuko’s arm on the back of his neck. But Zuko’s arm was _not_ around him, which was an important distinction to drunk Sokka. And he was doing a good job keeping his hands to himself, even though it was when he was drunk that Sokka tended to be more physically affectionate. So he kept his arms crossed and tried to give a little bit of space between himself and his companion. If he didn’t, he was in danger of ruining everything.

When Katara and Aang left for the night, stumbling and waving over their shoulders, Aang’s hand dangerously low on Katara’s waist, Sokka rolled his eyes and huffed. ”I don’t care if he _is_ the Avatar,” He grumbled. “That’s still my little sister,” 

Zuko laughed, and removed his arm off the back of the couch so he could undo his hair. Sokka missed the warmth. “I’m surprised you’re not used to it by now, Sokka,” He chided. “They’ve been in love with each other since basically the moment they met. Aang told me so himself,” He smirked, setting his headpiece and ribbons on the table in front of them, officially signaling that he was no longer Fire Lord Zuko for the day and he was now just _Sokka’s_ Zuko.

Nope. No, he couldn’t think like that.

He must have zoned out, because Zuko waved his hand in front of his face. “Hey,” Zuko said, his voice warm and hazy. “Come back to me,” 

Fuck. Zuko was _not_ allowed to talk like that.

Sokka didn’t mean to, but he groaned out loud, which just made Zuko laugh.

“It’s uh, just that I’m annoyed at Katara,” He said, throwing his sister under the bus in order to cover his mistake. “Everyone thinks that _she’s_ the responsible one, but the truth is that when she and Aang are together, they both can get a little wild. I mean if my _dad_ knew about half of the things they’d done recently, Spirits, if he’d seen her _tonight_ ,” He gestured to the door. “I thought Katara was gonna fall on her _ass_ on the way out,”

“Well, you can’t take care of her forever,” Zuko’s smile held the warmth of a sunny summer day and Sokka wanted to get lost in it. Nope. Couldn’t think like that. “I know that you want to, because you’re the big brother, but you’ve got to just let her be free,” Zuko said, putting his arm over the back of the couch again. 

“I know,” He frowned, poking Zuko in the chest. “Just, maybe I shouldn’t have let her drink so much tonight. She’s only nineteen. I mean, not that your weak ass sake has _anything_ on desert cactus juice. I had some of that shit when I was _sixteen_ and I have never been that drunk again in my _life._ This shit is _nothing_ ,” 

“Duly noted,” Zuko laughed, and with his other hand, reached over and patted Sokka’s leg. “You should probably be getting to bed soon, Water Tribe,”

Sokka swallowed. He didn’t want to go yet.“Yeah, I should,”

Zuko’s eyes flicked from Sokka to the bed and back to him. “You’re welcome to stay here, if you don’t want to wander around the palace drunkenly in the middle of the night,”

_Fucking Spirits._

“You mean like, on the couch?”

“You can if you want,” Zuko hesitated, then shrugged. “You’re also welcome to the bed. I don’t mind,”

Share the bed. Zuko wanted to share the bed.

And Sokka wanted to set himself on _fucking_ _fire._

That seemed to be a recurring theme in his life these days.

Sokka knew that he should risk the drunken stumble. Or take the couch. Fuck, or even just take the floor. But with Zuko’s warm eyes staring into him... 

Sokka couldn’t deny himself what he _knew_ he wanted. 

Katara had been right, he knew what he wanted. _Of course_ he knew what he wanted.

But he still had to play his cards right. There was still a lot on the line, and he wasn’t sure how Zuko felt. He couldn’t mess this up. As much as he wanted to surge forward and kiss Zuko senseless right then, right there, some sober, logical part of his brain managed to pull it together enough to respond with just a “Sure,” and keep his hands to himself.

Zuko seemed pleased with the answer, nonetheless, and gave Sokka’s thigh a squeeze _(fuck!)_ before getting up and heading to his wardrobe. “You can sleep in one of my shirts,” he said, _(fucking shit!)_ “I mean, if you want. I normally go without a shirt,” _(fuck fuck fuck!)_

Sokka drew in a deep breath.

He _wouldn’t_ mess this up. 

“Yeah, a shirt would be great, thanks,”

And so that’s how Sokka found himself in bed with the leader of the Fire Nation, wearing a soft linen red shirt that smelled like a campfire. 

Praise the Spirits Above, the two of them managed to stay on their opposite sides of the bed all night. He didn’t know what he would have done if he’d woken up to Zuko’s arm around his waist or something like that. Probably exploded on the spot, and not in the fun way.

Ugh, he _had_ to stop thinking about things like that.

Really, the morning was fine. Zuko was already up and getting dressed by the time Sokka was waking, so he was spared having to deal with pillow talk. Zuko greeted him with a warm smile and a snarky remark and the tension in Sokka’s chest eased. They were okay. It was okay. He hadn’t gotten drunk and messed it up.

He kept the shirt.

Not long after Aang and Katara’s visit, Sokka had managed to overhear an argument between maids about how much of their property belonged to their husbands, and it gave him an idea. Sokka was a goofball, he knew that. He liked making stupid jokes and having a good time. But he was also a strategist. He was an inventor. He was smart and _clever._ He was a planner, and he knew how to make the right moves to win the war. Except this time, he wasn’t trying to win a war. He was trying to win the heart of the Fire Lord.

Hmm, he should add “Cheesy Motherfucker” to his list of self descriptors. 

So he brought the issue up to his companion. “How much do you know about Fire Nation marriage law?” He asked. “You should know even the most basic stuff if you’re gonna rule these people,” He said. “We should have another study night in the library,” He suggested. And Zuko trusted his judgement, so he agreed to it. 

All part of the plan.

So far it had been pretty boring, but Sokka was just waiting for the right moment to make his move. He got his chance when Zuko groaned and tossed the scroll he was reading across the table. 

“I had no idea there was so _much_ about marriage law,” He turned to Sokka. “What’s it like in the Southern Water Tribe?”

Zuko had played right into his trap. 

Sokka shrugged nonchalantly. “Nothing too special. We used to have laws banning men from marrying other men and women marrying other women, but my dad got rid of those laws,”

He wasn’t looking at Zuko’s face, not yet. Approaching _this_ subject for the first time had to be delicate, so he could feel it out. He didn’t want to be too direct and scare Zuko off, not when he didn’t know how the other man would respond. But before he could make _any_ kind of move on his companion, he had to test the waters, see how Zuko felt about the idea of two men being in love. Because if he got a negative reaction to _that_.... Well, Sokka tried not to think about it just yet.

“Oh,” Zuko said, his voice completely neutral. “He did? For... for any particular reason?”

Sokka picked dirt out from under his nails. “My dad’s friend Bato sought to marry his partner but couldn’t under the laws. So my dad abolished the laws when he became chief,”

Zuko was silent for a moment, and Sokka fought the urge to look over. 

“I need to find out if the Fire Nation has any laws like that,” Zuko finally said, reaching for the scroll he’d just thrown across the table.

 _Now_.

Sokka turned to Zuko, keeping his face casual and asked: “Why?”

Zuko’s eyes were fierce, the way they always were when he got worked up and was planning on doing something about it. He caught Sokka’s gaze, and lifted his chin. “So that I can abolish them,” 

Something in Sokka’s chest lifted.

“Laws like that are ridiculous and outdated,” Zuko continued. “Anyone should be able to marry whoever they like. I will not run a nation that looks down on people just for who they love,” 

Two weeks later, the Equality Act was law of the land. Sokka had never seen a piece of legislation go into effect so fast, but Zuko _was_ the Fire Lord and when he made his mind up about something, he was unstoppable.

And a little flame of hope flickered in Sokka.

Six months into Sokka’s stay at the Fire Nation Capital, he suggested that they sparred. He hadn’t picked up his sword since before he left the South Pole, and he hadn’t seen Zuko with his dual swords since he’d been there. So part of it was a genuine suggestion.

And the other part of it...

 _Clang. Clang. Clang_.

A sweaty, shirtless Zuko came at Sokka full force with his swords raised high.

Well, it had its perks.

Zuko was an _excellent_ fighter, and with his dual broadswords, he was a tough opponent to beat. The two of them had been sparring outside all morning, and Sokka had thrown off his sweaty shirt when the sun began climbing higher in the sky. He could have _sworn_ Zuko blushed, but he couldn’t tell truly because they were both flushed and sweaty anyway. But the Fire Lord had matched his challenge and stripped his own shirt and Sokka practically got weak in the knees. Like, _yes_ , he knew that Zuko was attractive. He wouldn’t be in this mess if he didn’t think that. But seeing him like this, shirtless, sweaty, and panting... Sokka was gonna lose his fucking mind.

 _Clang. Clang_ . _Clang._

Zuko backed him across the training area with quick strikes. Their swords collided (Spirits, give him strength to keep his mind out of the gutter) in a flurry of metal. Zuko had speed and agility where Sokka had strength and force. Sokka could admit to being a little rusty, but Zuko was fighting like he’d just been training yesterday. He was _good_ . Sokka would be pissed that he was getting his ass kicked if it wasn’t _a total turn on_ to be getting his ass kicked. And when Zuko had backed him into the wall earlier, with one sword pressed under his chin and a smirk on his face? Sokka would have done _anything_ that the Fire Lord asked of him at that moment. _Anything._

_Clang. Clang. Clang._

Zuko striked, Sokka blocked.

_Clang, Clang. Clang._

Sokka jabbed, Zuko side stepped.

_Clang. Clang. Clang._

Zuko swiped, Sokka ducked.

_Clang. Clang. Slice._

Sokka’s sword went flying.

It took him half a second to realize what had happened. He saw the blood going down his right arm before he felt anything, and when he did feel it, it was searing pain spreading down his arm like _fire._ He cried out and dropped to his knees at about the same time his sword landed in the dirt on the other side of the training area. His hands started shaking, his stomach flipped, and the world got fuzzy. It took him another moment to realize that someone was saying his name. 

“ _Sokka_ . Sokka, _look at me,_ Sokka,”

Sokka forced his eyes to tear away from the open wound to see Zuko.

Zuko, golden eyed Zuko, was kneeling in front of him, saying his name.

“Sokka, focus on _me_ ,” 

He forced himself to concentrate on Zuko’s warm eyes and Zuko’s gentle voice and Zuko’s strong hands gripping his shoulders. The world came more into focus the more he concentrated on Zuko. “We need to get you inside,’ He was saying. “I need you to walk with me, okay?” Sokka nodded, and allowed Zuko to guide him out of the courtyard. He vaguely heard Zuko say “ _-_ someone get a _fucking_ healer _-”_ but he was more focused on getting one foot in front of the other and Zuko’s arm wrapped around his shoulders. The closest room to the training area was Zuko’s study, and Sokka found himself seated in one of the chairs by the fireplace, the Fire Lord kneeling in front of him.

“No, ‘M gonna get blood on your rugs,” Sokka mumbled, trying to cradle his arm closer to his chest. “Don’t wanna get blood on your nice rugs,”

Zuko placed his shaking hands on Sokka’s knees. “I don’t care about the rugs,” He said, his voice shaking, too. “I care about _you_ ,” 

Fuck, as _if_ Sokka didn’t already feel dizzy enough. 

The healer burst into the room, and Zuko stepped back so she could work. Sokka chose to focus on his companion instead of the healer who was cleaning out and dressing his wound. He saw the way Zuko’s hands were shaking and he didn’t know what to do with them. He saw the rapid rising and falling of Zuko’s chest. He watched Zuko pace anxiously as the healer worked, watching over her shoulder. “Zuko,” His tongue felt heavy in his mouth and he could taste copper. “ _Zuko,”_ The firebender’s head snapped up to him, and Sokka could see the _fear_ in his eyes. “Zuko, I’m _fine,”_ He found himself insisting. But Zuko didn’t say anything. He just continued pacing until the healer was done working, and the _moment_ she was out of the way, he was kneeling in front of Sokka again.

And the _second_ the door to the study shut and it was just the two of them, Zuko exhaled. “Sokka, I’m _so_ sorry. _Please_ forgive me. It was an accident, I didn’t mean to hurt you-”

“Hey,” Sokka said, trying to smile. “I know it was an accident, okay? It’s okay. _I’m_ okay,”

Zuko shook his head, looking down at his hands and clearly trying to blink out tears. “You _trusted_ me and I _hurt_ you-”

“It was an accident _-”_

“But I _hurt_ you and I’m _so_ sorry-”

“Zuko,” Sokka cut him off, reaching forward with his left hand and after a heartbeat’s hesitation, gently cupped the side of Zuko’s face, the unmarked side. He wasn’t sure how his touch was going to be received, but he needed to bring Zuko back to him, draw him back to reality. There was a moment of silence between them, and for a moment, Sokka worried that he had crossed a line. But then Zuko leaned into his touch, looked back up at him, and clasped his hand around Sokka’s wrist, holding it in place. “It was an accident, and I’m okay,” Sokka repeated. “I’m okay, and I’m not mad at you,”

“Please, forgive me,” Zuko whispered.

Sokka dared to test the waters more and rubbed his thumb across Zuko’s cheekbone. “I _forgive_ you, Zuko. I’m okay. _We’re_ okay,”

So, the sparring hadn’t gone exactly to plan.

But it still wound up working in his favor, to be honest.

Zuko began introducing him as “Ambassador Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe, my closest companion” to all visiting officials. One afternoon, they were going over economic bullshit in the library, and Sokka started grumbling about having to sit at the stupid table for hours, so Zuko offered to give him a back massage. Never one to turn down a good back rub, Sokka agreed. He wound up having to _bite his lip_ to keep from moaning, because the Fire Lord knew how to use his hands. Zuko now led him places by placing his hand at the small of Sokka’s back, which made him tingle all over. Sokka missed lunch one day, because he was so buried under reports, and Zuko personally took his food to him, and wouldn’t leave the room til he had eaten. They’d sit out in the gardens and watched the sun set, talking about their pasts and their hopes for the future until the moon was high in the sky over them.

One night, they were in Zuko’s chambers, sprawled across his couch, barely any space between them and drinking sake, laughing at one of Sokka’s stories. They didn’t hang out in each other’s rooms often, as they were normally in the library, or Zuko’s study, or the gardens. The only reason they’d gone to Zuko’s chambers was because the Fire Lord declared that he didn’t even want to _think_ about work anymore for the evening, so they went to the one room in the palace that didn’t have a desk or a single report for him to sign or any scrolls about _aqueducts_. (That had become their little inside joke.) 

When they ran out of sake, Sokka stared at the dwindling fire. The last time they’d been like this, Zuko had offered for him to stay, but Sokka didn’t want to push his luck. “I should probably be heading back to my room,” He said, his voice barely above a whisper, trying not to hope. “It’s getting late,”

“Right,” Zuko said, nodding his head. And then he drew in a deep breath. “Or, here’s a thought,” Timidly, gently, almost unsurely, Zuko put his hand on Sokka’s thigh. “You could stay,”

Sokka felt like all of the air had been sucked out of his lungs. He turned his head to look at Zuko, and their eyes locked. There was a soft challenge in Zuko’s eyes, the look he got when he _wanted_ something. Not that long ago, when Sokka was faced with this choice, he made the safe one. He held back. But over the last few months, Sokka had reckoned with the consequences of _wanting_ within the walls of the palace. And he knew what he wanted.

He surged forward and kissed Zuko.

The response was _immediate_ . Zuka put his hand on the back of Sokka’s neck and pulled him closer, kissing him deeper. The other hand wrapped around Sokka’s waist when Sokka swung his leg over to effectively straddle the Fire Lord. But no, he wasn’t the Fire Lord here. He was just Zuko. _Sokka’s_ Zuko, and he got to kiss him _senseless,_ just like he wanted _._ And their kissing was _electric_. It was hungry and fierce, making up for the months of shy and timid touches and gestures. When one of Sokka’s hands tangled in Zuko’s inky black hair and he gave a gentle tug, Zuko threw his head back to moan. Sokka took that opportunity to kiss Zuko’s jaw, and under his jaw, and his neck, which just brought more noises out of Zuko. When Sokka nipped as his neck, Zuko’s hips thrust upwards, and they both groaned. 

They pulled away, gasping for breath, and Sokka rested his forehead against Zuko’s. They grinned at each other, and Sokka didn’t even allow doubt to cloud his thoughts. This was right. This was where he belonged. 

“I’ve wanted to do this for a long time,” He admitted, brushing Zuko’s hair back.

“Oh yeah?” Zuko asked, a smile playing at his lips and giving Sokka’s ass a little squeeze. “How long?”

Sokka grinned. “How long have I been here?”

Zuko laughed, one of his big belly laughs that Sokka had once thought he wasn’t capable of, and then he kissed Sokka again. This time it was deeper, slower, less frantic. It was softer, but no less full of _want._ It made Sokka feel like his insides were being filled up with hot air and he was going to float away, but he kept himself grounded in Zuko’s touch. Eventually, Zuko wrapped his strong arms around Sokka and stood up. Sokka wrapped his legs around the other man’s torso and let himself be carried to bed, still kissing him like it was the only thing he knew how to do.

And that’s how he wound up in bed with the leader of the Fire Nation again. But this time, there weren’t any clothes involved.

Sokka woke in the morning with Zuko in his arms, the other man’s back pressed to his chest and their legs intertwined. Sokka sighed peacefully and buried his face in the back of Zuko’s neck, fully intending to drift back off to sleep. Then he heard a quiet mumble: “Well, good morning to you, too,” 

Sokka laughed, and pressed a kiss to Zuko’s shoulder. “Morning,” He said, sleep still on the edges of his voice. Zuko rotated in his arms until they were face to face, and pressed a sweet kiss to Sokka’s lips in greeting. They both had soft smiles despite the morning breath, and Sokka ran his hand up and down Zuko’s back. “How’d you sleep?”

“Like a rock,” Zuko admitted, and then he grinned. “You tired me out last night,”

Sokka scoffed. “ _I_ tired _you_ out? Please, that’s not how I remember it,”

Zuko ran his fingers through Sokka’s unruly hair and hummed. “And how _do_ you remember it, pray tell?”

“Well, there was that thing you did with your tongue,”

“Hmm,”

“And also with your hips,”

“Oh, yes, that,”

“But mostly, I remember wondering why we hadn’t been doing this all along,”

Zuko laughed, and pulled him closer. “Funny, I remember wondering what took you so long to get the hint,”

“Hey, now,” Sokka protested. “I had to make sure you weren’t going to throw me in the dungeons for hitting on you before I made a move,”

“So that _was_ what the whole marriage law thing was about! I knew it,”

“It sure fucking was. And what do you _mean_ you knew it?”

Zuko rolled his eyes. “You’re not exactly subtle, Sokka,”

“Bullshit, I wasn’t that bad,”

“Yes, you were,” Zuko grinned, “I’ve been waiting for you to make a move since the fucking _aqueducts_ ,” He said, lazily running his hand across Sokka’s chest.

“Why didn’t _you_ make a move, if you were so sure, then?”

“Oh, I _have_ been flirting with you, this whole time, for the record,” Zuko said, but then his gaze went down, focused on the movements of his hand. “But... because you’d just broke off your engagement with Suki, and I wasn’t sure if you even liked _men_ like that... I didn’t want to push too hard,” 

Sokka hummed and nodded. And then he asked: “When did you know?” His voice was soft and hesitant. “That you liked men... like _that_?”

Zuko shrugged. “Always, I think,” he answered. “I don’t think I _ever_ liked women, to be honest. But when I was younger I was trying so hard to be the person my family wanted me to be, so I pushed it aside. Kept it hidden. The only person who might have understood was my mother and she...” He shook his head. “So I courted Mai because I thought that I _should_ , not because I actually felt anything for her. And then I became the Fire Lord, and I still felt like I was trapped under everyone’s expectations of who I was supposed to be. So I broke it off with Mai, and told my uncle the truth about who I was. He was... Not surprised,” Zuko smiled, like he was remembering a warm memory. “And then you came to the palace,” He continued, his hand still on Sokka’s chest. “And I was just _crazy_ about you. From the moment you arrived, I thought I was going to lose my mind,”

Sokka reached up and held Zuko’s hand close to his chest. “I tend to have that effect on people,” He joked, and Zuko laughed.

“When... When did you know?” Zuko asked in return. 

Sokka rubbed circles on the other man’s hand with his thumb. “Not until you,” 

Zuko _melted_. He let out a big deep sigh and his shoulders relaxed and his smile was warmer than sunrise, brighter than high noon, and more beautiful than the sunset. 

“I don’t really know what to make of my past with women,” Sokka confessed with a little shrug in his shoulders. “I think I did love Suki, even though we weren’t right for each other. But I’m not sure I was even aware of my own desires until I came to the palace and spent every day with you. I didn’t even realize that I had fallen for you until I couldn’t escape it anymore. It was like something cracked within my chest and opened up a whole new world to me,” The corners of his mouth tugged upwards, and he squeezed Zuko’s hand. “But regardless of the past, I’m here with _you_ now,” He said, his voice sure and true. “And I want to be with _you_ ,”

“Good,” Zuko said, bringing Sokka’s knuckles up to kiss them. “Because I want you, too,”

Sokka’s smile was bright enough to lighten any shadows and erase any doubts or fears he might have had as he pulled Zuko in closer by the waist to kiss him deeper. And as Zuko rolled them over so that Sokka was on his back, and then as he began kissing his way down Sokka’s chest and stomach and to where the sun _didn’t_ shine, Sokka praised the Spirits above for how lucky he was. 

Being with Zuko was the easiest thing Sokka had ever done. He thought he’d known what it meant to be with someone before, to hold them and care for them and to support them and to _be_ held and cared for and supported, but he was wrong. He’d never felt _anything_ like this before. He’d never known anything like feeling Zuko’s steady breath against his skin first thing in the morning. He’d never known a feeling like Zuko kissing his cheek casually, in passing, as they went about their day. He’d never felt anything like Zuko’s trembling thighs underneath his finger tips, never known anything as wonderful as holding Zuko’s hand as they walked through the gardens, he’d never known anything quite like being Zuko’s soft place to land at the end of a hard day.

Because there were hard days. Zuko had improved a _lot_ since the days in which he tracked Sokka, Katara, and Aang across the world, but he was still a hotheaded firebender at times. He could still be a little asshole when he wanted to be, but then, so could Sokka. Sokka could fly off the handle about tiny shit, too, if he was having _that_ kind of day. There were days that they argued, just as they always had since they were 16, just as they’d done on countless occasions over the last five years. There were days that they had disagreements on trading policies and even one day that they had a three hour long argument about fucking _aqueducts_ in the South Pole. (Which was stupid, Zuko was being stupid.) They also had to have a hard conversation about the nature of their relationship, how they had to keep it a secret from the world for now. Not only because they were leaders of their nations, but they were two _men_ , and they were unsure how the world would perceive them. But they always managed to come to an agreement and make up before turning in for the night, always managed to end the day in each other’s arms even if it had to be a secret. 

Plus, the make up sex was pretty great. 

There was one day though, a few weeks after they’d gotten together, that Sokka could tell something was different. He’d pulled an all nighter in the library, preparing for an important meeting coming up about the Southern Reconstruction Project. He’d sent Zuko to bed without him the night before, saying that at least one of them should get some sleep. Things had seemed okay, then. But when the sun rose and Sokka made his way back to Zuko’s chambers, well, more like _their_ chambers these days, he expected to see the Fire Lord up and ready for the day. (When the sun rose, so did Zuko.) But when Sokka slipped into the room, the curtains were still drawn and there was still a Zuko sized lump under the covers. Normally, Sokka wouldn’t have hesitated before swooping in and kissing his partner and snuggling in behind him, but something told him to hold back.

“Zuko?” He asked, gently sitting on the edge of the bed. “Are you okay?” Zuko didn’t answer, just curled up tighter into a ball under the covers. Sokka wanted desperately to scoop him up in his arms and kiss away whatever was hurting him, but he kept his hands to himself. “Do you need anything?” Sokka asked. Zuko shook his head. “Do you want to be alone for a little while?” Sokka asked. Zuko nodded. Sokka fought the urge to sigh deeply. “Okay, come find me if you need me,” He said, standing up from the bed and slipping back out of the room. When he closed the door, Sokka leaned his forehead against it, his mind flying faster than Appa, trying to figure out what he did wrong when he heard:

“He’s like this every year, you know,” 

Sokka whirled around to see-

“Iroh!” He said, rushing forward to hug the old man. “What are you doing here?”

Iroh hugged him back just as tightly before pulling away and smoothing the sleeves of Sokka’s blue robes. Sokka couldn’t help but notice that his smile was bright, but his eyes were sad. “I come back every year on this day to check on him,” Iroh said. “But it seems I am not the only support he has these days,”

Sokka ignored the old man’s smile and frowned. “This day?”

Iroh nodded. “It’s the anniversary of Zuko’s banishment,”

Oh.

_Oh._

Iroh studied the look on Sokka’s face, no doubt being able to read everything he was feeling, and then gestured down the hall. “Let’s take a walk, my young ambassador,” 

And so they walked. 

“There is something you must understand about Zuko, if you are to be his... _companion,”_ Iroh gave Sokka a knowing look, and he blushed. He wasn’t sure if Zuko had told his uncle about the true nature of their relationship in his letters, but even so, Iroh was a perceptive man. “Zuko is filled with so much _light_ . The fire in him is his life force, and it has always been a force of _good_ in these palace walls, even as a child,” Iroh said, gesturing to the architecture around them. “But the day his father burned his face changed him. He was humiliated and banished, disgraced at such a young age. He didn’t know how to handle that level of pain and hurt, and he responded with anger. He tried to become the person he thought his father wanted him to be, and he hurt a lot of people, including himself,”

Iroh looked off into the courtyard almost like he could see a little carefree Zuko running around the turtleduck pond. “It took him a long time to change and seek redemption, even before he sought to join the Avatar. He has changed again over the last five years, and grown into the kind and generous leader I always knew he would be,” There was no hiding the pride in Iroh’s voice, and Sokka felt it too, in his chest. “But still...” Iroh continued, “Over the years, this day has become not just a reminder of the pain inflicted upon him as a child, but the pain he inflicted upon _others._ He still hasn’t forgiven himself for many of the things he did to you and your friends while we were trying to capture the young Avatar. Now Zuko’s greatest fear is hurting those he cares about, betraying their trust just as his father once hurt and betrayed him,” 

Sokka nodded, remembering the day of the sparring accident, how panicked Zuko was, and how he had begged for forgiveness. 

“There is much to love about my nephew,” Iroh continued, looking at Sokka with a twinkle in his eyes. “But if you are to _love_ him, you must love _all_ of him. Even on his dark days, when he is plagued by his own memories and fears. Even when he does not believe he deserves that love, you _must_ love him. Do you understand?”

“I understand,” Sokka said, truthfully. “And I promise to do my best, Iroh,”

“Please,” Iroh said, putting a gentle and affectionate hand on Sokka’s shoulder, just as he’d seen him do with Zuko the day he arrived. “Just call me Uncle,”

Sokka gave Zuko his space, and spent the entire day getting ready for his surprise. He ran around the whole palace, getting help from the maids and staff he’d befriended over the months, making sure everything was perfect. And an hour before the sun set, he slipped into the still dark chambers carrying his tray of items. Zuko didn’t stir, so he quietly set the tray down on the table by the fireplace, and silently grabbed his box of matches and got to work lighting the candles around the room, filling the room with a warm glow. When it got bright enough to stir the young leader from under his covers, Sokka grabbed the tray and made his way to the bed. 

Zuko always slept on the right side of the bed, and that’s where he was curled up now, so Sokka approached from the left side, sitting on the edge and placing the tray in the space he normally slept. And when he did, Zuko’s head poked out from under the blankets and gave him a questioning look. Sokka tried not to laugh at how messy his hair was, and instead gave him the softest smile he could muster.

“I know, I know, you want to be alone today, and I respect that,” Sokka held up his hands in surrender. “But Kai from the kitchen ratted you out and told me you haven’t eaten anything they’ve sent up. So I got him to whip up your favorite meal and I brought _two_ glasses of water and I expect you to drink both of them.” He gestured to the tray, and Zuko’s eyes followed his hands. “I also found some fire lilies in the garden and I thought they were pretty, so I put a couple in this vase,” He pointed out the red flowers. “And I also brought you a complete list of everything good you’ve done as Fire Lord, in case you had any doubts how amazing you are,” He gestured to the hefty scroll on the tray. “And, best of all,” He said, reaching into his pocket, “I had the palace seamstress whip up a fake turtleduck,” He held up the plush stuffed animal for Zuko to see. “I know they’re your favorite, and I didn’t want you to be _entirely_ alone in here, so I got you a little buddy,” He said, placing the animal next to Zuko on the bed.

Zuko, who looked like he was about to _cry._

Sokka swallowed, and looked down at his hands. “And I just want you to know how much I- I _care_ for you. And that I’m here for you, in any way you need me. I’ll be in my room, because you asked for space, but you are _not_ alone, Zuko,” He said, looking at his partner and trying not to cry _himself_ . “So that’s that,” He said, clearing his throat and standing up. “And I mean it, _both_ glasses of water, you dehydrated asshole,” And with that lovely note, Sokka slipped out of the room again, kicking himself for sounding like an idiot. Well it could’ve gone worse. And at least Zuko had food now. With a sigh, he trudged back to his room.

Not long after, when Sokka was leaning over his balcony and watching the sun set, he heard a soft knocking on the door frame behind him, and turned to see Zuko wrapped up in his robe, looking hesitant. So Sokka silently held out his arms to him, and soon he had the Fire Lord snuggled into his chest. Sokka wrapped his arms around Zuko’s shoulders and held him tight as Zuko buried his face in Sokka’s neck. Slowly, he felt tears soak his chest, and felt Zuko’s shoulders begin to shake. Sokka didn’t say anything, didn’t try to use empty words to magically make everything better. He just kissed the top of his partner’s head, and held him tight, and let him cry.

The Southern Reconstruction Project was going _swimmingly_ (more water puns, for you there) after nine months and they were even set to go down and visit the South Pole soon. Sokka missed his home and was _ecstatic_ to be visiting it again, sure, but he couldn’t deny that the Fire Nation Palace had become his home, too. Well, _Zuko_ had become his home, and Sokka would follow him anywhere. Even if he was an idiot sometimes.

“No, you’re not listening to me,” Sokka huffed, crossing his arms. “The Southern Water Tribe was using these trading routes long before the Fire Nation attacked. Our ancestors chose those routes for a reason and we should stick to them,” 

Zuko scowled. “But there are more _efficient_ routes along here,” He pointed at the map they were arguing over on his desk. He was still sitting in his big comfy chair, but Sokka had been up and pacing since the beginning of the argument. “These routes would get your boats to the Earth Kingdom even faster,”

“We don’t know that!” Sokka threw his hands up. “We don’t exactly have a lot of records of the past anymore so I don’t know _why_ those routes were better-”

“Then why can’t you at least think about a new one?!”

“Because our tradition is the only thing we have to hold on to!” Sokka didn’t mean to raise his voice but he did. He drew in a deep breath, and said more calmly: “If we’re truly going to restore my home to its former glory then I need you to _trust_ me. These things are important to my people. We’ve already had so much taken from us--none of which I hold against you, before your mind goes there--and if we’re going to rebuild we have to have _something_ to build off of. From our trading routes to the way we make our igloos to fucking _ice dodging_ , our culture is the only thing we’ve held on to for the last hundred years and I’m not going to let it get washed away. I don’t care if it _is_ more efficient, we’re sticking to the ways of my people,”

When Sokka finished, he drew in a deep breath and emotionally prepared for Zuko to fight back against him. He put his hands on his hips and did his best Katara impression, like he was a bad bitch that no one dared to mess with. What he didn’t expect was for Zuko to be looking at him with dopey eyes and his hand propping up his cheek. Sokka was still fuming a little bit though, so he huffed and asked a little harsher than necessary: _“What?”_

“I love you,” Zuko confessed, his voice warm and soft.

All the fight drained out of Sokka. His arms fell slack at his sides and his eyes went wide. He felt like he’d just been hit with a tidal wave. “You- _what_?”

Zuko nodded, completely unapologetic. “You’re passionate and smart and care about your people. And I love you for it,”

“You- you _love_ me?” Sokka was still reeling.

“You’re absolutely right,” Zuko said, standing up and coming around the table. “We should honor the passages and traditions of your tribe. I apologize for overstepping and pushing in a direction that wasn’t helpful. My job in these meetings needs to be listening to you, my ambassador, and I’m sorry for not doing that-”

“Can we go back to the part where you said you _love_ me?”

“Oh. Well, I do,” Zuko put his hands on Sokka’s shoulders and stepped into his space, a dopey grin on his face. A _love sick_ grin on his face. “You always keep me honest and on my toes. You’re a great leader and an even better partner. I love you, and I’m not afraid to admit it,”

Now _Sokka_ sighed dreamily and looked up at him with dopey eyes.

No, _love sick_ eyes.

“I love you, too,” Sokka confessed. “I love you,” he said it again, pulling Zuko in by the waist. “I _love_ you,” He murmured it over and over again, kissing Zuko in between phrases, mulling it over in his mouth and letting it take over every piece of him, each time meaning it more than the last.

A couple of weeks later, he asked:

“Should I get some Fire Nation robes?” 

They were working in Zuko’s study, going over the details of their trip down south next week and his lover’s head snapped up, eyes wide. Sokka shrugged. “Like, I don’t know, I’ve been wearing my Water Tribe clothing for months and it’s been fine, but maybe I should invest in some Fire Nation attire. I know for a fact that I look good in red-”

Sokka was cut off by Zuko practically _leaping_ into his lap, and kissing him so hard that their teeth collided. When Zuko finally did pull away, they were both breathless. “Yes,” Zuko nodded furiously, cupping Sokka’s face. “You should get some Fire Nation robes,” He kissed Sokka again, swiftly, before saying: “I’ll send the tailor to you tomorrow, first thing, ”

“Woah,” Sokka blinked, rubbing Zuko’s thighs with his hands. “What is this reaction, pray tell?” 

“I just, um, think you would look really good in the colors,” He shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant about the whole thing, but Sokka could read him better than that.

Sokka grinned. “ _Baby_ ,” He said, running one hand up to Zuko’s hip. “Are you seriously _that_ turned on by the idea of me wearing red and gold?”

Zuko melted under the word _baby_ , Sokka had discovered, and he used it to his advantage at every possible opportunity. Like right now, when Zuko was as red as the robes he was wearing. “Well, yes,” He admitted, swiping his thumb across Sokka’s cheek. “But also...” He drew in a deep breath. “It would make you... _mine._ For everyone to see _,”_

“Oh,” Sokka said, eyebrows shooting up.

“No, I mean, _uh_ , if you- I mean if you, um, _wanted_ -”

“Zuko, shut up,” Sokka said, reaching up and smooching him quickly. “I love that idea. _A lot_. And I love _you._ _A lot._ I just didn’t realize you were ready to go public with _us_. You know that I’m all in, one hundred percent. But I didn’t know if we were going to have to have _another_ talk about the political ramifications of courting your Ambassador of a different nation while working on a restoration project for that nation before we announced to the world that we’re together-”

“I don’t care,” Zuko didn’t even hesitate. “I want to go public. I love you, and I’m all in,”

“Okay, then,” Sokka grinned, and pulled Zuko down for another kiss, a deep one that reminded him of the waves from back home, an ocean he could get lost in. “We’ll get me some new robes and we’ll go public,” Zuko _beamed_. “Just, um, before we do,” Sokka winced as Zuko’s face fell slightly. “Can we wait until after we go to the South Pole?” Sokka rubbed the back of his neck. “I want my dad to hear it from me, and not like, getting the news that his son is courting the Fire Lord from someone else before he even knows that his son likes men,”

“Oh, yeah, absolutely,” Zuko nodded. “Whatever you need,”

“You’re the best,” Sokka said, kissing the underside of his jaw.

“Yeah, I know,”

“You _dick_ -”

Zuko was actually pretty nervous for the trip down south, no matter how much he tried to pretend he wasn’t, and Sokka could see right through him. He could tell in the way Zuko had planned out every _single_ infuriating detail of the trip and the way he paced around the room when they were discussing Hakoda. He could tell in the way that the days leading up to their departure, he kept nervously twisting his hands and accidentally setting things on fire. After he’d accidentally set his own _robes_ on fire while pacing in their chambers, Sokka sighed.

“ _Baby_ ,” He watched the Fire Lord pace, “It’s gonna be okay,”

“You don’t know that,” Zuko said, his tone sharp. “It’s going to go terribly and your father will hate me and the whole Southern Reconstruction Project will be off and I’ll have ruined everything,”

“My dad’s not gonna hate you,” Sokka said, standing up and crossing the room to his lover. “I promise he’s going to love you,”

“How do you know that?” Zuko protested, running his hands through his hair.

“Because _I_ love you,” Sokka confessed, taking Zuko’s hands into his. “And therefore my dad will love you,” 

Zuko looked like he was thinking about listening to reason and logic for _just_ a second before he shook his head. “We should go over the plan again, just to be sure-”

“You know what you need?” Sokka interrupted. “You need to _relax_ ,”

“Fuck off, no I don’t,” Zuko protested, scowling. “I _need_ to go over-”

Gently --because everything with Zuko was still _first_ and _foremost_ gentle, no matter what-- Sokka backed his lover against the wall, a sly grin on his face. “You _need_ to relax,” He said, stepping in to kiss Zuko’s neck, causing the other man to inhale sharply. “Do you _want_ to relax, Zuko?”

Zuko swallowed. “Relaxation, right. Great idea. Yes, please. Carry on,”

Sokka’s hand ghosted over the waistline of Zuko’s pants. “Sure you don’t want to go over the travel schedule again?” He teased.

“You’re a _menace_ ,” Zuko groaned, and banged his head against the wall. 

Sokka smirked. “Yeah, I know,”And then he dropped to his knees.

Zuko was a lot calmer after that.

To say that Sokka was excited to see the Arctic landscape of his home approaching was an understatement to say the least. He was practically _bouncing_ on the balls of his feet as the ships spotted land after days on the ocean. (The new and improved Fire Nation ships that didn’t bring the black snow anymore.) Sure, they still had to _work_ while they were there, but Sokka was also looking forward to showing Zuko around his home. The last time the firebender had been there, it hadn’t been on good terms, and Sokka wanted to give everyone a fresh start. 

When the ship pulled into port, Sokka could see Hakoda and Bato smiling and waving at him, and he thought his heart was going to burst. _Yes_ , he was almost twenty-two years old, but Spirits Above, he missed his dad while he was away. He practically tackled Hakoda when his feet hit the docks, forgoing any dignified composure he was supposed to have as the ambassador. Fuck that, this was his _dad_.

“Sokka!” Hakoda laughed. “It’s good to have you home, my boy! It’s been so long!”

“Ten whole months of your father bitching about you being gone,” Bato grumbled, stepping forward to slap Sokka on the back. “Glad you’re finally home,”

“Yes, glad to have you back and we are glad to welcome Fire Lord Zuko,” Hakoda said, gesturing politely to Zuko. “We are grateful for all the work you have been doing with Sokka for our home,” Zuko bowed and smiled at the Chief, but Sokka could see the tight lines of his face, the nervousness and fear. He was more nervous than Sokka had ever seen him, and Sokka had spent the whole trip down trying to reassure him that it was going to be fine. It hadn’t really worked, but Sokka didn’t think anything would calm the firebender down until he’d had The Talk with his dad about their relationship. 

“It is an honor to be here,” Zuko said, using what Sokka lovingly called his Lording Voice, the one he used to cover up his fears and insecurities to make him sound like a powerful leader. It always worked. “I look forward to our many conversations over the next week,”

Zuko caught his eye, and Sokka gave him an encouraging smile.

When you’ve been away from home for a while, returning can feel like the best thing in the world. Seeing all of the people you grew up with, seeing the buildings in which you built yourself as a person, it’s like part of yourself clicks back into place, feels complete again. Returning home with someone you _love_ is like getting to take that piece of yours that clicked back into place and show it to them for the first time. It’s a deeper level of understanding the other person, and as they walked from the docks and into the village, Sokka pointed out parts of himself to Zuko. 

“There’s where Katara pushed me off the edge and I broke my arm when we were kids,” He said, pointing and touching Zuko’s shoulder, only briefly. “Oh! And there’s where I first learned how to fight. I had my first kiss behind that igloo over there, when I was _five_ ,” Sokka grinned, elbowing Zuko. The more he talked, the more Zuko’s shoulders relaxed, which was good. “I used to “train” the little kids over there, when Dad was away and I was the only guy in the village. I was like, _sixteen_ and essentially just babysitting a group of five year olds for free, telling myself that I was training them to be warriors,” _That_ got at least a little chuckle out of Zuko. “Later I’ll have to show you the ice cliffs. They’re _incredible_ , you’ll love it,”

“Let’s not overwhelm the Fire Lord too much,” Hakoda laughed, clasping Sokka on the shoulder. “I’m sure he is tired from his long journey and does not need our company,” Sokka was about to protest, but he saw the look in Zuko’s eyes, the silent, pleading warning. 

_Don’t._ It said. _Not yet._ It pleaded. _He doesn’t know_.

So Sokka kept his mouth shut. 

“We’ll leave you to get settled, Fire Lord,” Hakoda said, “We’ll see you at dinner,” 

Zuko nodded and bowed, his eyes flicking to Sokka before following Bato to where he would be staying. Sokka felt sick to his stomach. He felt like they were back at square one in the palace, exchanging looks and unsure touches, all feelings completely secret and hidden under the rug. It felt _wrong_ after the time they’d been able to spend together. All he had to do was tell Hakoda, and then it would be over. He just had to explain the situation to his father, who he knew loved him deeply, and then they could resume things as normal. That was all he had to do.

But when they were finally alone and his dad asked: “So what’s new with you?” 

He...

He couldn’t do it. 

“Oh, nothing,” He responded.

For three days, he kept his silence. 

Every time he revved himself up to do it, to just speak his truth, his throat closed up.

Fear overwhelmed him in a way it never had before. Sokka had been through a war when he was _sixteen_ , and could handle just about anything. He could fight anyone, plan any attack, lead any siege. He was a warrior and a leader and a close friend of the Avatar and he was the fucking Ambassador of the Southern Water Tribe to the Fire Nation in the Southern Reconstruction Project.

But he couldn’t bring himself to tell his father that he’d fallen for another man.

Zuko, Spirits bless him, was amazing.

“This is _your_ journey, Sokka,” He’d said one night, taking Sokka’s hand and kissing his knuckles like the damn romantic he was. Since the two of them had to keep their distance during the day and weren’t sleeping in the same bed anymore, they’d been sneaking out at night to meet up and just _be_ together. Sokka felt like a teenager again. “If we don’t tell him on this trip, we don’t tell him. I’m not gonna push you in either direction. This is entirely up to you and I support you no matter what,”

Spirits, Sokka loved him.

“What would I do without you?” Sokka murmured, holding him close. 

Zuko snorted. “Probably crash and burn,”

“Hmm, that’s fair,”

On the fourth night, Hakoda asked: “So when are you coming home for good?”

He and Sokka were together in their home, after a long day of meetings and planning. They had a small fire burning, keeping them warm and lighting their faces with an orange glow. 

But Sokka felt like someone had thrown him off the ice cliffs. 

“Probably not for a while,” He answered, trying to keep his voice neutral.

Hakoda shrugged. “You’ve done good work, but it seems like Fire Lord Zuko has it mostly under control. You could probably come home and run operations from here-“

“No,” Sokka said, harsher than he meant. His heart started pounding in his chest. “I need to stay in the Fire Nation. There’s still a lot to do,”

Hakoda laughed good naturedly. “I must not have raised you right if you’re wanting to stay in the Fire Nation instead of being here,”

The words stung Sokka for reasons his dad didn’t understand. He felt his walls and defenses go up _._ “So Katara gets to galavant around the world with Aang but I have to stay here?” He stood up from the chair he was sitting in, wildly brandishing his hands.

Hakoda frowned, his surprise at Sokka’s reaction evident on his face. “You don’t _have_ to stay, Sokka, that’s not what I meant. And your sister isn’t _galavanting_ -”

“You and I have heard _very_ different stories, then,”

“Where is this coming from? You know that she’s with the _Avatar_ -”

“And I’m with the Fire Lord!”

“That’s different,”

“No, it’s not!”

Hakoda went very still.

Sokka drew in a shaky breath. “It’s not different. Zuko and I are...” With every ounce of courage Sokka had in his chest, he said: “Zuko and I are _together_ ,”

Hakoda blinked. 

Opened his mouth. 

Closed it. 

Sokka felt like he was going to be sick.

“You’re _courting_ the _Fire Lord_?” His father finally said.

Sokka swallowed, and nodded. “We’ve been together for some time, Dad,”

“Oh,” Hakoda blinked. “I didn’t know that you were, well, _you know_ , you were just with Suki for so long that I just thought-”

“I love him, Dad,” Sokka interrupted. “Regardless of who I loved in the past, I love him now. And he loves me, too,”

Hakoda studied him for a moment, arms crossed and lips pursed, just like Zuko did when he was considering something. Sokka really didn’t know what he’d do if his dad rejected him. He didn’t know that was a loss that he could recover from. When his dad stood up from his chair and approached Sokka, every single worst case scenario passed through his head. Within a heartbeat, he forced himself to accept the fact that his father’s love might be conditional.

So it should be very understandable that when Hakoda pulled him in by the arm for a tight hug, he started crying. 

“I love you so much, Sokka,” Hakoda said, squeezing him tightly. “I am proud of the young man you’ve become. Not only as a leader of our nation, but as someone who is sure of himself,” Hakoda pulled back from the hug and squeezed his son’s shoulders. “I’m sorry if I ever made you feel like you couldn’t talk to me about this, Sokka. And I hope you know that my surprise comes more from your partner being _the leader of the Fire Nation_ and less from your partner being another man. I don’t care about that. What’s most important to me is that you’re happy. Are you happy?”

Sokka wiped his tears away with the heel of his hand and nodded. “I am,”

Hakoda’s smile was warm and comforting and everything that a father’s smile should be. “Then that’s all that matters,”

Sokka went to Zuko’s room immediately afterwards, waking him up even though the moon was high in the sky. “Sokka?” he asked, rubbing his eyes. “Did something happen? Is everything okay?”

Sokka knelt beside his bed. “I told him. I told my dad,”

Zuko’s eyes popped open wide. “And?”

“It’s okay. He’s okay with it,” Sokka’s laugh was wet with tears as he nodded and took Zuko’s hand into his own. “He’s more than okay. He’s happy for us. He’s happy. We’re okay,”

He slept in Zuko’s arms that night, and the world felt right again.

The next day, Hakoda marched up to Zuko, first thing. “I believe we need to be introduced again, Fire Lord Zuko,” He said, with a wide, kind smile and using the most Dad Voice that Sokka had ever heard out of him. ‘I understand you’re not just my son’s partner in work but also in life, yes?” Zuko turned bright red and nodded, looking like he wanted to make himself very small. Sokka merely raised an eyebrow at his dad’s antics. Hakoda nodded, staring down at Zuko, studying him for a moment before he held out his hand. “Welcome to the family,” He said, and Zuko’s eyes went wide. He shook Hakoda’s hand and grinned.

When you return home for the first time in a while, it feels like part of yourself clicks back into place. When you show the person you love your home, it’s like showing part of yourself to them. And when you get to walk around your home, your love’s hand in your own, your love on display for the rest of the world to see for the first time, it’s like creating a new part of yourself. A part that you share with the person you love most, that you created together.

News of Sokka and Zuko’s relationship spread quickly after that. It was pretty much already an open secret at the Fire Nation Capital, despite their efforts, but it had been kept pretty under wraps in their dealings with other nations. Sokka had been a little bit afraid of how the news would be received globally and how that would affect Zuko’s rule as the Fire Lord, but... when they got back to the Fire Nation Capital, their advisors told them that support had already been pouring in from all corners of the world. Chief Fuck Face of the Northern Water Tribe had even sent flowers, to Sokka’s annoyance. He knew that not everyone would be accepting, and he was prepared for that. But he honestly hadn’t emotionally prepared for the _overwhelming_ support.

But it was _good_ . It felt good. It felt _so_ good.

They celebrated their birthdays by taking a trip to Ember Island. It was an earned vacation at that point, after eleven months of nonstop hard work. Their birthdays were only a couple of weeks apart, so it was easy to celebrate it all at once. Plus, much like Sokka showing Zuko around the South Pole, Zuko had been adamant about sharing this part of himself with Sokka. He wanted to show his lover the beach house he grew up in, the ocean shores he found himself on, and the place that held some of the last happy childhood memories he had. But mostly, Sokka was just looking forward to spending time with Zuko. With no work, no meetings, just the two of them on the beach where no one could see them, and they could just _be._

Their arrival was a little difficult for Zuko. Being back was complicated for him because he wanted so desperately to remember the good things but felt overwhelmed by the bad. Sokka suggested that they make new memories by fucking in every room, but Zuko was less than keen on that idea. (At first. He later changed his mind.) But despite the irritable mood Zuko was in when they arrived at the island, by the time the sun was setting and the pair were sitting by the ocean with the waves lapping at the shore, he was doing much better.

“It’s kind of funny that you grew up here,” Sokka commented, playing with Zuko’s hair. His lover was currently laying with his head in Sokka’s lap, staring at the orange and pink hues in the sky. His hair ribbons and Fire Lord headpiece had been left back in the house. He wasn’t the Fire Lord here. He was just Zuko. _Sokka’s_ Zuko.

“What makes you say that?” Zuko hummed.

“Because it kind of reminds me of my home. I mean, really just because of the ocean. It’s like a warmer version of the South Pole. It just makes me think that you and I aren’t so different, really. And I think that’s why we work so well together,”

“Well, we both have little bender sisters, and both had strong expectations to be the man of the family growing up,” Zuko added. “And we’re both swordsmen,”

“And we’re both leaders, trying to create a better future for our nations,”

“And we’re both really good in bed,” Zuko smirked.

“Feeling mighty confident today, aren’t we?”

“What? I speak the truth,”

“Yeah, you do,”

They fell into a comfortable silence for a while, just listening to the ocean and watching the sun sink below the horizon. And then Zuko asked:

“Have you thought about the future?”

Sokka’s fingers ran through Zuko’s hair. “Do you mean in general or ours in particular?”

“Both, I guess,” Zuko said, his voice soft. “Our future together, but also how history will remember us. I don’t think I’ve read anything in the past about two men who loved each other. And it just makes me wonder how history will remember _us_ ,”

“What’s got you thinking about this?” Sokka asked.

Zuko sighed. “Being back in that house, honestly. I had some of my best childhood memories here, but it’s like all I can focus on is the bad. It has me thinking about the way we remember things, especially being here with you,”

Sokka leaned down and kissed his lover’s head. He ran gentle fingertips across the marked side of Zuko’s face, cupped his cheek, looked deep into his warm golden eyes and said in a completely serious tone: “I hope they remember that you’ve got a great ass,”

Zuko laughed so hard that he had to sit up. 

When Zuko was breathing normally again, Sokka continued: “I don’t think we could control how history remembers us. We can only do our best to leave a good legacy behind, and hopefully that’ll be enough. But, for what it’s worth,” He intertwined their fingers. “I want my legacy to have been loving you,” Zuko’s eyes were brighter than the setting sun and it filled Sokka’s soul with fire. He kissed him deeply and truly, and Sokka could have written _essays_ about the legacy of Zuko’s lips. He could have written symphonies about the legacy of Zuko’s hands as they pulled him close. He could have set down history then and there of what it felt like to be loved by Zuko and what it felt like to love him in return. 

To celebrate the anniversary of his coronation as the Fire Lord, Zuko had arranged the Fire Nation’s first ever Nations Dinner, inviting all the Ambassadors and high ranking officials and world leaders from across the globe to come together for a night of celebrating diplomacy and unity. Zuko had been planning it for months, actually, but the added bonus of the whole ordeal was that the dinner itself was scheduled on the one year anniversary of Sokka’s arrival at the Fire Nation Capital. Sokka knew that his lover had planned that on purpose, because that’s just the kind of partner he was. Sokka had always thought that _he_ was the Cheesy Motherfucker, but Zuko was his match. 

On the day of the Nations Dinner, a box was delivered to their room. Zuko had been the one to receive it, and placed it on their bed with Sokka peering over his shoulders. “What is it what is it what is what is it?” He asked, bouncing on his feet. Zuko just rolled his eyes, and lifted the lid, revealing a new set of Fire Nation robes. But these ones were different, because the gold embroidery was intertwined with silver, and instead of the typical sharp lines of the Fire Nation, they were softer, rounder, like Water Tribe attire. The designs were a perfect marriage of the two cultures, and it was stunning.

Sokka’s jaw was practically on the floor, and Zuko twisted his hands nervously. “Do you... do you like it? I can send it back to the tailor if you don’t like it-”

“It’s _perfect,_ Zuko,” Sokka said, running his hands over the fabric. He looked up at his lover, eyes shining. “It’s _perfect,”_

Sokka dressed in his new robes and admired himself in the mirror, admired the way the silver and gold intertwined with each other, admired the way the reds and blacks fit so perfectly in the Water Tribe style, and he also admired the way _Zuko_ was admiring him in the mirror. With a sly smile, Sokka turned around to him. “You want me out of these clothes now, don’t you?”

“Yes, very much so,”

They were late to their first meeting of the day.

Guests were to begin arriving in the evening, but the only guests Sokka really cared about showed up at noon on the back of the sky bison: Aang, Katara, and Toph. It had been so long since he’d seen all of his friends, especially Toph, that the three of them had barely touched the ground before he was running to greet them. 

“Nice new robes, Sokka,” Aang said, pulling him in for a hug.

Katara tugged at his sleeve and grinned. “Yeah, you look really great,” 

“I think it’s the best you’ve ever looked,” Toph snarked.

The five of them laughed, and walked together into the palace, but it didn’t feel like the old days. In the old days, they were really just a bunch of scared kids who didn’t know what they were doing. They were trying to do what they thought was best, with no real idea of how to accomplish that. They were all on the run and seeking something: love, a home, acceptance. So, no, it actually didn’t really feel like ‘the old days,’ when they were kids who were trying to take on the world together. Now, with Zuko’s hand in his own, he realized that he’d found what he had been looking for all along. And he was never going to let it go.

The Nations Dinner went _fantastically._ Zuko gave a speech welcoming everyone and thanking them for joining together, then Aang gave a speech about the unity of the world and the progress they were making every day towards building a better future. The food was fantastic, because they’d brought in the top chefs from all corners of the world and all the different nations, so Sokka got to feast on Water Tribe foods and Earth Kingdom delicacies alongside the Fire Nation dishes he’d been eating for the past year. Even Aang whipped up some of his favorite Air Nomad desserts from his childhood. 

After dinner, they were able to just socialize with their guests, and Zuko introduced him to everyone as “my partner, Ambassador Sokka.” It was a little bit unnecessary, as he knew just about everyone there, but he still liked being labeled as the Fire Lord’s partner. He enjoyed getting to hold Zuko’s hand as they moved about the room, keeping his arm around Zuko while they talked to Earth Kingdom delegates, keeping Zuko close to his side all night, their love on display for all to see. And he _really_ enjoyed getting to walk up to Chief Hahn and say: “You remember my partner, Fire Lord Zuko?” 

As the night dwindled down, when Sokka stood by the window with his drink in his hand, watching Toph and Ambassador Lei chatting amiably away, no doubt comparing the best strategies on how to crush their enemies, and watching Aang and Zuko talking with the Earth King, when he heard from behind him: 

“Red is a good look on you” Katara said, crossing her arms in her typical Katara fashion. 

Sokka grinned. “I know, right? I look _hot,”_

“No fire puns, Sokka,” Katara rolled her eyes before elbowing him. “I’m just glad to see you weren’t a dumbass about it,”

“Oh, no, I was. Just a little bit,” Sokka leaned back against the column he was standing by. “But luckily for me, he’s a bit of a dumbass, too,” 

“You two are good together,” Katara noted, as they stared at their two men from across the room. “I almost feel like I’ve never seen you like this before. This... this...”

“Happy,” Sokka finished for her, his voice almost hazy. “I don’t know that I’ve ever been this happy before,” 

Katara’s smile was as gentle as flowing water. “Mom would be proud of you,” She said, “And I know Dad is. He wrote to me after you guys left the South Pole,”

Sokka rubbed his hand on the back of his neck. “What did he say?”

Katara leaned against the column, too. “He said that watching you and Zuko together reminded him of how he used to be with Mom,” Katara said, her voice soft. “And that he was happy that you’d found your person,”

“That’s, uh...” Sokka turned his head away and blinked a lot. “That’s really nice of him to say,” Katara laughed as he pulled her into a tight hug, protesting loudly but holding him back just as tight.

“Aww, you two are cute,” Aang’s voice interrupted the moment, and Sokka pulled away to see the Avatar and the Fire Lord waiting for them. Zuko’s expression was lovely and warm, the way it always was after a successful political night and after a few glasses of sake. Sokka immediately took his place at Zuko’s side, where he knew he belonged, slipping his arm around Zuko’s waist. Zuko leaned into him, and put his own arm around Sokka, pulling him closer.

“Are you ready to turn in for the night?” He asked softly, so only Zuko could hear him, and his lover hummed in response. Zuko seemed to communicate primarily in hums when he was sleepy, and Sokka loved him for it. “Well, it was lovely to see the both of you again,” He turned to Katara and Aang. “Will you stay for breakfast tomorrow?”

“Sure, we’ll tell Toph,” Katara said, leaning her head on Aang’s shoulder. “Thanks for a great evening, Zuko. This was really special,”

Zuko smiled, and dipped his head to her. “May this be the first of many,”

Sokka waved his hand at his friends. “See you all tomorrow, get some rest,” The other pair waved back at them as Zuko and Sokka turned away and slipped out of the dwindling party and into the open air hallways of the palace. 

Arm in arm, they walked past the library, past turtleduck pond, past the training area, past Zuko’s study, through the hallways that had become his home over the last year. He used to not feel like he belonged in these halls, but now he couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. He knew the palace inside and out, he was friends with the whole everyone in it, he was even wearing the colors of the Fire Nation itself as he walked with the Fire Lord to their chambers. When they passed Sokka’s chambers, which had been empty for months, Sokka hummed.

“We should turn my old chambers into a study for me. It’d be nice to have my own place to work and display the Water Tribe things I brought from home. And it’s not like I’m using that room for anything else,” He commented.

Zuko yawned. “Great idea. I’ll send for the palace carpenter tomorrow,” Then Zuko frowned so comically that Sokka wanted to tug on his lower lip. “This doesn’t mean that we won’t have our library nights anymore, right?”

Sokka’s grin was sleepy. “Don’t be stupid, _of course_ we’ll still have our library nights. I think our next topic should be canals, which I hear are cooler than aqueducts,” Zuko laughed and it was the best thing he’d heard all night.

The moment they were in their chambers, Zuko’s hands were in his hair to remove his ribbons and Fire Lord headpiece, letting his top knot come loose and his shoulders relax. Sokka, on the other hand, stripped out of his new robes down to his undergarments, carefully put them away, and then made his way to their balcony. He let the cool night air wash over his bare skin as he stared out at the Capital, his own happiness keeping him warm. Zuko soon joined him, coming up from behind him and wrapping his arms around Sokka’s waist and resting his chin on Sokka’s shoulder. They stood in silence for a few moments, enjoying the lights of the city at night and the comfort of each other’s breath.

“I can’t believe I’ve been here for a year,” Sokka murmured.

“Feels like it’s been longer,” Zuko replied. “Feels like it’s been forever,”

Sokka leaned back into his lover. “Nah, forever’s still to come,” 

Zuko hummed, kissed his cheek and stepped back towards their room. When Sokka didn’t follow, he heard Zuko pause in the doorway. “You coming to bed, love?” 

With one last glance at the city, Sokka turned back to see Zuko, _his_ Zuko with his loving eyes and messy hair, holding out his hand.

And Sokka took it. 


End file.
